"Finally, a review should include a conversation about the basis on which
the United States sets its priorities for allocating aid — whether it
is determined by need, merit, national security, the potential return on
investment, or other reasons. There is no single right answer, nor are
the many justifications for aid spending necessarily discrete. But
understating the values that are the basis of U.S. aid would help us
better understand what America’s goals should be, and what it expects
aid to accomplish. The answers could provide some surprises in terms of
finding common ground, and would provide a much clearer explanation to a
skeptical public about the importance of global development."